Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- New York$84,240
- Washington$81,560
- Colorado$81,040
- Georgia$79,450
- Iowa$74,180
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Wyoming$50,690
- Louisiana$53,810
- West Virginia$54,280
- Pennsylvania$55,360
- North Carolina$57,300
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $84,240 | $83,530 | $41 | +22% | 220 |
| 2 | Washington | $81,560 | $85,140 | $39 | +18.2% | 740 |
| 3 | Colorado | $81,040 | $76,140 | $39 | +17.4% | — |
| 4 | Georgia | $79,450 | $75,540 | $38 | +15.1% | 250 |
| 5 | Iowa | $74,180 | $80,910 | $36 | +7.5% | 220 |
| 6 | Illinois | $74,110 | $76,290 | $36 | +7.4% | 1,210 |
| 7 | Maryland | $73,400 | $79,180 | $35 | +6.3% | 100 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $70,530 | $74,160 | $34 | +2.2% | 70 |
| 9 | Michigan | $69,830 | $66,970 | $34 | +1.2% | 190 |
| 10 | Indiana | $68,940 | $64,530 | $33 | -0.1% | 160 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $68,780 | $72,340 | $33 | -0.4% | 100 |
| 12 | Missouri | $66,640 | $67,110 | $32 | -3.5% | 730 |
| 13 | Kansas | $66,080 | $66,990 | $32 | -4.3% | 390 |
| 14 | Ohio | $61,930 | $67,770 | $30 | -10.3% | 280 |
| 15 | California | $61,530 | $58,770 | $30 | -10.9% | 1,340 |
| 16 | Alabama | $61,350 | $56,050 | $30 | -11.1% | 240 |
| 17 | Texas | $61,300 | $71,580 | $29 | -11.2% | 1,650 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $58,440 | $56,410 | $28 | -15.3% | 170 |
| 19 | Florida | $57,380 | $58,250 | $28 | -16.9% | 130 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $57,300 | $54,810 | $28 | -17% | 110 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $55,360 | $55,470 | $27 | -19.8% | 350 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $54,280 | $46,900 | $26 | -21.4% | 120 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $53,810 | $54,260 | $26 | -22% | 210 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $50,690 | $45,490 | $24 | -26.6% | 400 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 7 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $132,190 | $118,860 | 40 |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $111,050 | $106,980 | 60 |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $72,180 | $70,790 | 560 |
| 4 | Baton Rouge, LA | $53,960 | $53,170 | 50 |
| 5 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $53,700 | $52,550 | — |
| 6 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $47,750 | $51,870 | 270 |
| 7 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $45,140 | $46,750 | 60 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $86,590 | $81,270 | 780 |
| 2 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $86,590 | $81,270 | 780 |
| 3 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $86,590 | $80,150 | 690 |
| 4 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $86,590 | $80,150 | 690 |
| 5 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $86,590 | $81,270 | 780 |
| 6 | Rail Transportation | $70,960 | $71,700 | 9,620 |
| 7 | Rail Transportation | $70,960 | $71,700 | 9,620 |
| 8 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $68,840 | $69,030 | 12,400 |
| 9 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $67,770 | $68,320 | 11,520 |
| 10 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $67,700 | $68,200 | 11,620 |
| 11 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $67,580 | $66,910 | 50 |
| 12 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $67,580 | $66,910 | 50 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers make in the U.S.?
The median railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers salary in the United States is $68,840 per year (mean $69,030), and about 80% earn between $45,660 and $86,590.
How much do railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers make per hour?
Roughly $33 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $69,030 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers the most?
New York has the highest average pay for railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers at $84,240 per year (median $83,530).
What is the job outlook for railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers?
Employment is projected to change +1% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 1,000 openings per year.